In the 1880 US Federal Census for Mountain, Washington, Arkansas, 46-year-old Tennessee-born farmer James and his 44-year-old second wife Elizabeth [maiden name and married name unknown] Goodman have in their household James' Arkansas-born children, 12-year-old Robert and 8-year-old Laura, Elizabeth's children 9-year-old Missouri-born Manda and 7-year-old Arkansas-born Jane [last name unknown-recorded as Goodman], and James and Elizabeth's son Arkansas-born 3-year-old Joseph. James and Elizabeth are illiterate. James' parents were born in Tennessee; Elizabeth's father was born in Indiana and her mother in Kentucky; Robert and Laura's father was born in Tennessee and their mother in Arkansas; Manda and Jane's father was born in Missouri and their mother in Arkansas; Joseph's father was born in Tennessee and his mother in Arkansas.
On 3 Nov 1882 in the Yell Courthouse, John Choate, as principal, and Henry Pore, as security signed a $100 bond guarenteeing that John would marry Laura Goodman within sixty days of the signing of the bond. A marriage license was therefore issued to 24-year-old Mr John Choate and 14-year-old Miss Laura Goodman, both of Gravelly Hill, Yell, Arkansas, by the Clerk of Court W H Gee. They were married on 5 Nov 1882 by Jas [sic] E McCall, L.E. M.E. C.S.
John Choate either died or Laura and John divorced before 31 Oct 1885 as that is the date on which Laura [Goodman] Choate remarried.
On 31 Oct 1885 at the Crawford County Courthouse, a marriage licence was granted to 25-year-old Mr David McCaslin [transcribed McCashin] and 18-year-old Miss [sic] Laura Shoat [sic], both of Crawford County by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, J Neae. They were married the same day by Charles F Harvey, Justice of the Peace.
In the 1900 US Federal Census for Sulphur, Sebastian, Arkansas, 42-year-old Arkansas-born farm laborer Dave [sic] and his 28-year-old Arkansas-born wife, Laura [Goodman Choate] McCaslin have been married 13 years. Laura has borne six children, five are living. Four of the five Arkansa-born children are living with them, 13-year-old Charlie, 6-year-old George, 4-year-old Robert, and 8-month old Jinella [sic]. The family is living in a rented house. Everyone can speak English, but Laura and Charlie cannot read or write. Everyone's parents were born in Arkansas, except Laura's as her father was born in Tennessee and her mother in Arkansas.
In the 1910 US Federal Census for Rogers, Sebastian, Arkansas, 50-year-old Arkansas-born Dave McClaine [sic McCaslin-census taker's error as all the first names in this family match those in the 1920 census] and his 37-year-old Arkansas-born wife Laura [Goodman Choate] McClaine [sic] have been married 22 years. Laura has borne eleven children but only seven are living. These seven Arkansas-born children are 21-year-old Charlie, 16-year-old George W, 14-year-old Robert, 10-year-old Quilla F, 6-year-old Allen [sic Albert], 5-year-old Myrtie L and 3-year-old Ada. George, Robert and Quilla have attended school in the past year. The family is living in a farmstead on the Ft Smith Mail Route. Dave is doing general farming on rented land. Charlie, George and Robert are farmers who "work out". Dave, Laura, Charlie, George, Robert and Quilla are literate and speak English. Everyone's parents were born in Arkansas, except Laura's as her parents are recorded as being born in Mississippi [sic].
In the 1920 US Federal Census for Rogers, Sebastian, Arkansas, 60-year-old Arkansas-born David M and his 47-year-old Arkansas-born wife Laura [Goodman Choate] McCaslin have in their household their children, 17-year-old Albert, 15-year-old Myrtle, 13-year-old Ada and 9-year-old Arthur. Myrtle, Ada and Arthur have attended school in the past year. The family is living in a rented house. Everyone can read and write except Laura who is illiterate. Everyone can speak English. David is doing "General Farming". David's father was born in Tennessee [sic] and his mother in Arkansas as were Laura's parents. The children's parents were born in Arkansas.
In the 1930 US Federal Census for Fort Smith, Sebastian, Arkansas, 25-year-old Arkansas-born Hughie D and his 24-year-old Arkansas-born wife Ada [McCaslin] Smith were married when he was 17- and she was 16-years old [abt 1922]. They have in their household their Arkansas-born children, 3-year 6-month old Opal F and one-year 2-month old Virginia P, and two of Ada's relatives, her 59-year-old Arkansas-born widowed mother Laura [Goodman Choate] McCaslin and her brother 19-year-old Arkansas-born Arthur. The family is living in a rented house for which Hughie pays $10 a month in rent. Hughie is a laborer in a brick mill. Arthur is a laborer in "gardens". Both have worked on the last regularly scheduled work day. Neither has served in the military. All the adults can speak English. Hughie, Ada and Arthur are litterate, but Laura is not. Hughie's parents were born in Mississippi; Ada and Arthur's and the children's parents were born in Arkansas; Laura's father was born in Tennessee and her mother in Arkansas.
Widowed Laura Elizabeth [Goodman Shoat] McCoslin [sic] died in Fort Smith, Sebastian, Arkansas on 5 May 1950 and was buried on 11 May 1950 in Barling Cemetery, Barling, Sebastian, Arkansas.